Stimulate’s Black Friday

MANHATTAN, NY—For some 20 years, Xris SMack! has been producing darkwave, deathrock and gothic rock recordings and events in New York. He is also a freelance event producer, booking and promoting some of the wildest gothic (Stimulate) and fetish (SMack!) parties. Most of these events happen in diverse venues in New York, but SMack! has taken his events to Florida, Pennsylvania, Canada, Jamaica and other locations.

Stimulate events often feature gothic and industrial bands that other New York promoters will not book. Last year, Stimulate featured the first New York performance in 20 years of British band Pop Will Eat Itself. Earlier this year, Stimulate hosted a rare New York set by the Cocks (formerly the American–Belgian industrial rock band known as the Revolting Cocks). Other recent performers have included Die Warzau, Combichrist, the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, Justin Symbol, the Genitorturers and dozens of dark bands on the rise.

Stimulate’s annual Black Friday event at Drom on Nov. 25 headlined a rare New York appearance by Christian Death on the band’s “The Root of All Evilution” tour. Christian Death was formed as a death rock band in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, and evolved into a pioneer gothic rock band. Canadian synth band Ayria and British electro-industrial band Inertia were the opening acts.